"Christmas Morning" by Barbara Ohl, NSAG & Macdonald Realty
Local painter, and REALTOR® at the Macdonald Realty North Vancouver office, Barbara Ohl joined the Macdonald Realty calendar committee last spring with the idea of shining a light on artists from the North Shore. For 30 years Macdonald Realty has worked with different local arts groups to source original art for the company’s annual custom calendar. Ohl, an active member of The North Shore Artists’ Guild, recognized the opportunity to build a relationship between these two groups and suggested NSAG for the 2012 calendar.
When the time came to select the 13 paintings to be featured in the calendar, Ohl removed herself from the selection committee, but was excited to find her submission was selected represent December. Ohl’s “Christmas Morning” is now one of the 13 paintings currently part of an online auction at www.macrealty.com/charityartauction with proceeds going to the North Shore based non-profit organization, The Cascadia Society.
To our many Donors, Sponsors, Supporters, Volunteers, Realtors, Families and Friends,
I just wanted to express my thanks and to congratulate Macdonald Realty for its support of a very successful fundraising event on Jan 14. Despite the snow, more than 200 people trekked out to the Ridge Theatre and enjoyed Kung Fu Panda 2, with donuts, coffee, hot chocolate, chips and soda donated by Safeway, Starbucks, Tim Horton’s and Superstore.
There were door prizes, a 50/50 draw,a silent auction with prizes donated by many of the local businesses such as Yyoga, Starbucks, White Spot, Secret Garden, Mac Shack, Mary Kay, The Runn Inn, The Bay Decleor Cosmetics, Open Door Yoga and Bella Nails. There were more than 30 items and realtor, Elke Lee generously supported our auction, winning bids on 7 silent auction items.
Thank you to the realtors were in attendance with their clients and to the many volunteers who worked very hard behind the scenes before, during and after to promote and facilitate the event.
For over 30 years Macdonald Realty has produced a unique and exciting custom calendar that features original art by local artists. This winter over 12,000 calendars showcasing paintings by members of the North Shore Artists Guild were sent out across the province. These 13 paintings are currently part of an online art auction at www.macrealty.com/charityartauction with proceeds going to a local non-profit organization, The Cascadia Society.
The Macdonald Realty calendar has always featured original art or photography ranging from historic photos from the Vancouver Archives (1980, 1981) to local artists commissioned to produce original artwork, including Robin Arkell (1990, 1991), Drew Burnham (1992, 1993), Nancy Day (1994, 1995), Jennifer Garant (1996), Crystal Deshaies (1997), Jane Wolsak (1998) and Heather Aston (1999).
Is your home show ready? Before you list your home for sale, here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Remove clutter and clear off counters.
Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small, personal decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, remove out of season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Get rid of family pictures, trophies and knickknacks. Make sure to clean out the garage too.
2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help get more light into the interior of the home as well as looks better.
3. Keep everything extra clean.
A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, clean the stove and fridge. Polish your doorknobs (inside and out) and address numbers.
North Shore charity The Cascadia Society to benefit from art auction
"Home" by Anne Marie Calder, NSAG
The painting featured in the 2012 Macdonald Realty calendar for the month of April is of the exterior of The Cascadia Society’s Day Centre at 351 West 19th Street in North Vancouver. The painting entitled “Home” is one of 13 paintings by members of The North Shore Artists’ Guild that are part of an online art auction through January 31st at www.macrealty.com/charityartauction with proceeds going to The Cascadia Society.
Cascadia is a life-sharing community which specializes in working with adults with special needs. Its home is the urban setting of Vancouver’s North Shore, with several residences and a day centre. Participants have the opportunity to learn skills such as gardening, weaving, basketry, and candlemaking ,as well as learning to live and grow together in community. Cascadia provides a setting where everyone can feel at home and can also make a meaningful contribution to the community. For more information, visit them online at www.cascadiasociety.org .
Balanced real estate market prevailed through much of 2011
The 2011 Greater Vancouver housing market began with heightened demand in regional hot spots and concluded with greater balance between seller supply and buyer demand.
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that total sales of detached, attached and apartment properties in 2011 reached 32,390, a 5.9 per cent increase from the 30,595 sales recorded in 2010, and a 9.2 per cent decrease from the 35,669 residential sales in 2009. Last year’s home sale total was 6.3 per cent below the ten-year average for annual Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) sales in the region.
Tired of looking at bare walls? Amazing original art from under $100!
Kick off the new year with this unique opportunity to bid on one of the thirteen original paintings used in the 2012 Macdonald Realty calendar at www.macrealty.com/charityartauction
"Wheeling into Fall" by Alannah Haynes, NSAG
Amazing value – Bids starting from under $100, with 9 of 13 paintings’ current bids below $400.
Local artists – All are original paintings done by members of the North Shore Artists’ Guild.
Give back to the community – Money raised goes to The Cascadia Society, a local non-profit organization working with adults with special needs.
Bids are updated daily and will continue until 5 pm on January 31st. Highest bid at closing wins! Questions? Email calendar@macrealty.com.
Over the course of 2011 I have seen many people who want and need to move out of their condo and get more space. This is a common issue that faces many people that bought their first home in the last few years. Selling you condo can be tough to get out ahead as a new down payment for the new home, real estate and lawyer fees, and the dreaded property transfer tax can eat up that equity pretty quick. So what is you solution is you need to move? Become a landlord.
This is solution is not for the faint of heart, yet it can move you forward, as well as in turn lead you towards a brighter future. Renting out your current home with a form of a lease provides the bank with proof that your mortgage is largely, if not completely covered. Having that done frees you up to buy that new, larger home. The best course of action is to speak to a mortgage professional regarding this and if it will help you to afford what you really want to be in. Once you have your current mortgage covered and know what you can afford on the other side, it is time to find a real estate professional and go shopping for the new home.
